Pop Quiz: Students During Summer Sessions

Hey, what was that blur? Oh, it was just my summer vacation over before summer really began. Yep, that is right I went back to work this week teaching at two different schools and two different versions of Astronomy. So this is a quick post because I am all kinds of crazy busy for the first week.

I have been told time and time again that summer is the best time to teach because you only get the serious students and that it is much easier to teach during the summer. I am not sure I totally agree with that. What I have encountered is students who generally do not understand that just because it is the summer semester that does not mean that the material is any less difficult or that we will do less material. So I have a lot of students who cannot keep up with the abbreviated semester. Also, as far as easier to teach, not really. Same amount of papers and prep now shoved into a shorter time frame.

So if you happen to teach any summer sessions what do you think? Are summer students superior to the fall/winter group? Is it easier to teach during the summer?

The Pop Quiz is a question posed to you, the Scholars of Doubt. Look for it on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the afternoon (ET).

jodee

JoDee is an adjunct faculty instructor of astronomy and physics at various colleges around her hometown in the midwest. When she is not trying to get her cat, Pixel, off of her laptop she is observing variable stars and researching black holes.

1 Comment

I’ve only taught in the summer once, as I’m usually in the field. I can recall no differences that come to mind about the students’ quality compared to fall or spring semester students, but I did feel that the teaching seemed rushed as you discuss above. The biggest issue was fitting in labs in an appropriate but not insane way for both the students and me, as there was no lab help in the summer. I don’t remember anyone thinking a summer class would be easier though.